Notebook: Stars Luck and James will meet again on The Farm

For the second straight season Oregon will meet Stanford in a battle of top-10 teams, on Saturday in Stanford Stadium, and for the second straight year the matchup will feature two of the nation’s marquee players.

Oregon running back LaMichael James and Cardinal quarterback Andrew Luck were Heisman Trophy finalists a year ago, and while each began this season as top candidates for this year’s award, their campaigns have taken divergent paths. Luck is widely considered the favorite to win the trophy, while James’ candidacy was hurt by subpar numbers in the Ducks’ loss at LSU, and then two games lost to an elbow injury.

The two got to know each other a year ago while on the postseason awards circuit, playing a collective second fiddle to Auburn quarterback Cam Newton.

“He’s a great guy,” James said of Luck. “He’s really humble, he’s down to earth — everything that everybody says about him.”

Luck was runner-up to Newton for the Heisman last season, with James third. This season, Luck started out as a favorite and has separated himself from his challengers with steady play over the course of the fall; Luck is also presumed to be the likely No. 1 pick in the NFL draft next spring.

He’s playing so well that James was moved to joke that Luck might be at risk of overexposure.

“Apparently he’s God — I watch football, that’s what I see all the time,” James said. “I watch the NFL, I see him, I watch ESPN, I see him.”

While James’ Heisman candidacy was hurt by his two-game absence due to an elbow injury, he still has plenty left to offer the Ducks. He showed that last week at Washington, running 25 times for 156 yards and a touchdown.

That followed a 13-carry day against Washington State one week earlier, following the two-game absence.

“I feel good,” James said after his heavy workload in Seattle. “I’m used to getting the ball that many times. It doesn’t really bother me. I think I’ve played enough football to know how to fall and take on hits, so it’s not that bad at all.” Click here for the complete notebook.